Blowout preventer



y 11, 1939- A. .1. PENICK El AL 2,165,410

BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed May 24, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 11, 1939;

A. J. PENICK El AL BLOW-OUT PREVENTER Filed May'24, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 1 n my a Patented July 11, 1939- 4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLOWOUT PREVENTER Arthur J. Penick and Kirby T. Penick, Houston, Tex.

Application May 24, 1937, Serial No. 144,451

4 Claims.

when such pressure is encountered during the drilling operations;

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel type of pressure head, or packing unit, adapted to flt within the casing head to completely close the space between the grief joint, or kelly, of the drill stem and the casing head'to prevent the escape of fluid from the well, said pressure head including a packing which is rotatable with the kelly but which forms an'efiective seal while rotating.

The invention also embodies novel means 'for supplying a lubricant to the rotatable packing 'to minimize its friction with the adjacent part pf the pressure head while rotating.

The invention is also useful when it is desired to maintain the drilling fluid, or other fluid, in the well under pressure.

It is another object of the invention to pro- 25 vide a pressure head including a stationary part,

and a rotatable part and which is adapted to be mounted, and maintained, on the kelly in readiness for use during the various operationsv incident to well drilling.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particular relation to certain novel features of construction, operation and arrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specification and illustrated in the accom- 35 panying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows a side view, partly in section,

' in place by asuitable lock nut 22. The gland of the blowout preventer as in use.

Figure 2 shows a plan view of the' pressure head showing the drill stem kelly in cross-sectional view.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the pressure head, partly in section, shown mounted on the kelly, and showing one of the clamps in section, an

Figure 4 shows a fragmentary plan view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals oivreference' designate the same parts in each of the -flgures, the numeral l,designates the well casing having the casing head 2 secured to the upper end thereof and provided with aninside, downwardly tapering seat 3. The casing head has a lateral, tapped hole 4 beneath said seat for the connection of a pipe thereto through which the fluid in the well may be lead ofl" or-through which vent a blowout of gas under pressure in the well fluid under pressure may be forced into the well as desired.

At its upper end the seat 3 is outwardly flared as at 5 beneath said flared portion the head has an external, annular groove 6.

There is a packing unit or pressure head as- 1 'sembly designated generally-by the numeral 1 and which will now be more specifically described:v

This p'acking unit comprises an outer shell,

or jacket, 8 threaded into the lower end of which is a depending friction sleeve 9 and on said sleeve adjacent the lower end of the jacket 8 there is formed an external, open-work cage 10 which surrounds the sleeve and into which is molded the annular, external packing sleeve ll whose lower end is annularly grooved to form the inner and outer lips l2, l3 as shown in Figure 3, the former of which fits closely around said sleeve and the latter of which is outwardly flared and presses closely against the seat 3 when the pressure head is in place. The jacket has a downwardly tapering face It shaped to fit closely on the seat 5 and above said tapering portion has an external, annular, upwardly facing shoulder l5. The pressure head also includesan inner sleeve l6 which has the external, annular flange ,l'l therearound. Above and beneath the flange I! are the anti-friction bearing assem blies I8, l9 whichare located between the inner sleeve l8 and the outer jacket 8 and the latter of which is supported on an inside, annular shoulder 20 of'the jacket. A gland 2| is fitted closely around the inner sleeve l6 and screwed into the upper end of the jacket in abutting relation with the assembly l8 and may be locked has the outwardly extended flange 23 "at its upper end provided with notches 24 to receive a wrench whereby it may be screwed home and the 40 lock nut 22 is also provided with marginal notches 25 for a similar purpose.

Within the upperfiend oi" the sleeve 9, and abutting the lower end of the sleeve l6 there is a plate 26 which is split in two similar sections as shown in Figure 2. Abutting the lower -side of the plate-26 there is the'inner sleevelike packing 21 which is also split and thus preferably formed in two sections as also indicated in Figure 2. The lower end of the packing 21 is 'annularly grooved toform outer and inner 'lips 28, 23', the former of which fits closely withis molded a cage 3i. Clamp rods 32 have their lower ends screwed into, or otherwise attached to, these cakes and they extend up through the plate 26 and the sleeve is and their upper ends receive the clamp nuts 33 for securing the assembly together. In case of wear and leakage, on the part of the packing 21, the nuts 33 may be tightened up to draw the inner packing more closely against the lower side of the plate 28 thereby causing an expansion of the packing as is required to form the necessary close fit.

One of the rods 32 has a duct 34 leading downwardly from the upper end thereof and being outwardly turned through the cage 3| and through the packing 21. The upper end of this rod has a. conventional connection 35 for a grease gun or other appliance whereby a lubricant may be forced down through the duct 34 to lubricate the inner wall of the sleeve 9.

As is well known to those familiar with the art of well drilling the kelly 30 is attached to the upper end of the drill stem 36 and is usually formed polygonal being preferably square in cross-section for engagement with the driving bushing of the table of the rotary drilling machine. This kelly is also tubular having the passageway 31 therethrough for the passage 'of drilling fluid downwardly through the drill stem. The plate 26 and inner packing 21 are shaped internally, to fitclosely about the kelly and to rotate therewith during drilling operations. While carrying on drilling operations the inner packing will close the space between the kelly and the friction sleeve 9 and the outer packing II will close the space between the said friction sleeve and the casing head thus making a blowout impossible while drilling.

Means have been provided for securing the pressure head in place and for releasing the same which will now be described:-

The securing means referred to comprises the arcuate clamps 38, 38 which are hinged together at one side by the hinge pin 39, said hinge pin passing also through the laterally extending arm 40, preferably .formed integrally with the. casing head, whereby the clamps 38, 38 are supported on and hingedly connected to the casing head.

- through which a pin 44 may be inserted to hold the clamps in securing position. This pin 44 may The pin 39 is secured in place by a suitable nut M screwed onto the lower end thereof. The other ends of the clamps 38 have outwardly turned grips, or handles, as 42. Between the grips, 42, the clamps have intermeshing lugs as 43 having pin bearings which register when the clamps are secured around the packing unit and be secured against loss by means of a chain or other flexible member as 45. As clearly shown in Figure 1 each clamp has an inwardly extended inside rib, or flange, 48 which seats in the groove 6 of the casing head, when the clamps are secured in position, whereby the clamps are securely held against detachment from the head and each clamp has an inside shoulder 41 which engages over the external shoulder l of the jacket 8 when the clamps are in securing position whereby the pressure head is securely locked in position. The grips, or handles, 42 are connected by a yieldable connection as 38, usually a coil spring. The construction of the clamps 38, the means for locking them in engagement with the casing head and with the pressure head, the means for yieldingly connecting the grips, or handles, and the means for securing the free Within each section of the packing 27 thereends of the clamps together are substantially the same as that illustrated in Patent No. 1,997,152 issued to applicants on April 9, 1935, and a further and more detailed description and disclosure thereof is not believed to be necessary herein.

The clamps 38 are flared upwardly as at 29 for a purpose to be hereinafter stated.

In use the packing unit is assembled about the kelly 30 and is maintained thereon while carrying on drilling operations. When it becomes necessary to detach the kelly from the upper end of the drill stem for any reason, as when it is desired to add another section to the drill stem for drilling deeper, the pin 44 may be removed and the clamps 38 swung open to release the pressure head and the kelly may be detached and elevated together with the pressure head thereon. While being detached and elevated the drill stem will be suspended by the usual slips from the rotary table in the usual way. The additional section of drill stem may then be attached to the stem and the kelly conne'cted to the upper end thereof and the drill stem as thus completed may be again lowered. As it is lowered the tapering face M of the jacket 8 will ride against'the inside, upwardly flared portion 49 of the clamps and will spread the clamps apart to permit the downward passage of the pressure head and when the shoulder l5 clears the shoulders 41 of the clamps, said last mentioned shoulders will engage over the shoulder under the influence of the pull spring 48 thus locking'the pressure head in place.

The friction of the inner packing 21 against the sleeve 9 may have a tendency to cause the outer jacket 8 alsoto turn. In order to prevent.

this said jacket is provided with a socket 50 to receive an outwardly extended pin 5| which projects outwardly through the opening 52 of the clamp 38 whereby to lock said jacket against turning. I

The drawings and description disclose what is now considered to, be a preferred form of the invention by way of illustration only, while the broad principle of the invention will be defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a blowout preventer a pressure head comprising an outer jacket shaped to fit a casing head seat and having a depending sleeve, packing around the sleeve to form a seal with the sleeve and with the casing head in which the pressure head is seated, packing within said sleeve adapted to form a seal with the sleeve and witha pipe through the pressure head, packing supporting means rotatably mounted within the jacket and supporting the last mentioned packmg. I

2. In a blowout preventer an outer tubular part shaped to fit an inside casing head seat and having a depending tubular extension, sealing means around said extension shaped to close the space between said extension and the casing head, an innerrotatable part mounted in the jacket, annular sealing means carried by the rotatable part and shaped to close the space between said extension and an inner pipe through the pressure head.

3. In a blowout preventer an outer tubular part shaped to fit an inside casing head seat and having a depending tubular extension, sealing means around said extension shaped to close the space between said extension and the casing head, an inner rotatable part mounted in the outer part,

annular sealing means carried by the rotatablepart and shaped to close the space between said extension and an inner pipe through the pressure head, said pressure head having means for supplying a lubricant to the inner wall of said extension. l

4. Ina blowout preventer a pressure head shaped to receive an inner pipe and comprising an outer tubular part shaped to fit a casing head 10 seat and having .a depending tubular extension,

sealing means between the outer tubular part and adapted to form a seal with thecasing head seat, an inner rotatable part mounted in the tubular part, annular sealing means carried by the rotatable part and shaped to close the space between said extension and an inner pipe through the pressure head. 

